Sox Fans, Sox Players

[example1]

So I'm wondering if there is anything that fans should be doing to make playing in boston a more desirable thing? Listen to WEEI for an hour and listen to how harsh it is sometimes and how they feed off of fans' frustrations. It feels like players leaving boston are leaving with horror stories and a negative experience, like they are smothered beyond comfort. Wells wants to leave, Manny can't stand the fans bugging him in the city, and he would rather play in CLEVELAND, or ARIZONA than Boston! What kind of situation is that?

 

Why would we expect that Konerko or Burnett or Giles would choose to come to boston at all given the most recent "exit interviews" that have happened? Even Schilling has to call in and defend himself consistently on the radio and he's one of the most loved players in Boston. Most importantly, is there any reason to think that Boston is capable of having "comfortable stars" for any extended period? I bet that given this pattern even Ortiz will leave when he gets his chance. Anyone have any explanations, thoughts or comments on this phenomenon? Am I just imagining it or is it getting worse over the past 5 years or so?

[BoSox21]

any city that truly cares about their team will criticize when they feel the need to. I live in Montreal and the Canadiens get a shitload of criticism but you know what, the Bell Centre is full every game and there's always a playoff atmosphere. Fenway is the same thing. Some athletes can come to these cities and handle the big time, and some can't go they hide away in a west coast city where no one gives a damn about the team so they can collect their paycheck and go back to obscurity

[thewarriorscode12]

any city that truly cares about their team will criticize when they feel the need to. I live in Montreal and the Canadiens get a shitload of criticism but you know what, the Bell Centre is full every game and there's always a playoff atmosphere. Fenway is the same thing. Some athletes can come to these cities and handle the big time, and some can't go they hide away in a west coast city where no one gives a damn about the team so they can collect their paycheck and go back to obscurity

Agreed. Some players just can't hack it in cities with a ton of pressure. A good example I believe woudl be Barry Bonds. As good as he is, he's such a private person, and takes everything so personally that he'd never make it in a Boston or New York.

[RedSoxRooter]

I personally think Boston needs another baseball team. Boston is a big enough town to support two teams like NY or Chicago. That would help delude the fan frenzy and give the radio idiots something else to talk about instead of Red Sox all the time.

 

As for it getting worse, I think it bottomed out in 2001 with the whole Joe Kerrigan thing. That was just a bad situation.

 

Since the World Series win, I think there's been a mild swing the other way. I think the fans on EEI do not represent the typical Red Sox fan anymore. And I think most fans know that.

 

Also, what the Sox could do, and I think it's part of Theo's plan, is to bring up more home grown tallent than bringing in hired guns down the line. Sox fans are fiercly loyal to home-grown tallent and the more you have of them, the more forgiving the fans and media seem to be.

[example1]

Great points all. I think it is correct that some playesr can't make it in Boston, and they do like to seclude themselves in some random backwater elsewhere. I kind of think that's what Pedro did, even though he's in NY, he's not a NYY but a NYM. Part of me imagined Pedro looking forward to September in NY, where he could say that his arm was tired, his team was out of the race, and he gets to return to the Dominican a month earlier than he would with the Red Sox. What these guys do is a job and I definitely know a lot of people who would take a "day off" whenever it is offered to them. If someone told me that if I worked really hard my job would last an extra month and a half, I would probably not work too hard, all things being equal. (of course, my job doesn't include the possibililty of winning a world series).

 

The homegrown talent approach is a great point too. Sox fans are intensely loyal to these guys, and to guys who have come up from the system regardless of where they came from (guys like Daubauch and Valentin for instance). I'm sure that Papelbon, Hansen, Lester, Pedroia and Hanley will recieve similar treatment. I'm also looking forward to seeing what Jacoby Ellsbury will do in CF in 2-3 years. Having watched a few Oregon State games this year from my spot here on the west coast, he's going to be very very good. (He had 5 triples and stole 23 bases this year in 35 games at Lowell, where he hit .317, .418., .432, .850, as well as leading his team to the college world series). Just another homegrown talent to look forward to.

[thewarriorscode12]

I personally think Boston needs another baseball team. Boston is a big enough town to support two teams like NY or Chicago. That would help delude the fan frenzy and give the radio idiots something else to talk about instead of Red Sox all the time.

 

As for it getting worse, I think it bottomed out in 2001 with the whole Joe Kerrigan thing. That was just a bad situation.

 

Since the World Series win, I think there's been a mild swing the other way. I think the fans on EEI do not represent the typical Red Sox fan anymore. And I think most fans know that.

 

Also, what the Sox could do, and I think it's part of Theo's plan, is to bring up more home grown tallent than bringing in hired guns down the line. Sox fans are fiercly loyal to home-grown tallent and the more you have of them, the more forgiving the fans and media seem to be.

Very good point. Living in a state where all you have is homergrown talent (Minnesota) it's fun to watch guys come up, and you share a bond with them more than you can with a hired gun.

[Manny Goes Boom]

Guys who don't do well in a big city could include Tony Clark. He didn't do great in New York, and he tore it up in Arizona.

[Ray10]

any city that truly cares about their team will criticize when they feel the need to. I live in Montreal and the Canadiens get a shitload of criticism but you know what, the Bell Centre is full every game and there's always a playoff atmosphere. Fenway is the same thing. Some athletes can come to these cities and handle the big time, and some can't go they hide away in a west coast city where no one gives a damn about the team so they can collect their paycheck and go back to obscurity

 

Yeah I've been to the Bell Centre a couple of times for Montreal vs Toronto games and when they Canadiens get going I can barely hear myself thinking.

[MC Hammer]

This is exactly the same situation we have with the Steelers. Players either love playing here or want out the second they get here. I think it all comes down to the type of player you are. If you want to have your ass kissed no matter what then places like Boston and Pittsburgh aren't for you. But if you can take the heat(along with taking the blame *cough* Tommy Maddox *cough*) when you make a mistake then the first place you wanna play is Boston/Pittsburgh.

 

I believe the way we do things (fans in Boston and Pittsburgh) are the way things should be done. When you're great we'll praise you up and down and will attempt to convince everyone we know that our player is the best. When you're bad you're the worst ever, and we'll try to convince everyone of that.

 

It's not that we're cold blooded, it's comes down to the fact that we have an emotional attachment to our teams. They're are part of our extended family, and all we want is for them to succeed

 

I'm happy that I get to live in Pittsburgh with the best football fans in the world, and get to cheer for the Red Sox with the best baseball fans in the world. I wouldn't want it any other way.

 

We shouldn't change a thing.

[BoSox21]

While there are no doubt enough baseball fans to support a second team in Boston, there's no way fans would accept a second team. The Red Sox are far too firmly entrenched in the fibre of that city. It's Red Sox territory and it always will be.

 

It works in Chicago because for as long as anyone in that town has been alive, the Cubs have been the north side's team and the White Sox have been the south side's team. Both teams have the history